Nonfreezable hydrant



Nov. 25, 1969 w. B. NOLAND NONFREEZABLE HYDRANT Filed March 21, 1966 blnlllillll lll.

INVENTOR. W4 Y/VE /VZ/V BY QM, 2M, ma@ erw United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 137--59 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hydrant having a valve assembly including a pair of valves which may be simultaneously closed or selectively opened such that when the inner or main Valve controlling fluid flow through the hydrant is closed, the outer valve -may be opened placing the hydrant housing portion downstream from the rnain valve in communication with the atmosphere thereby enabling drainage of this portion. A bladder is also disposed in the inlet line and is in communication with an expansible reservoir. The bladder and reservoir are lled with a non-freezable fluid and are responsive to opening of the main valve to deflate the bladder whereby a liuid passageway is formed around the bladder in communication with the hydrant outlet.

This invention relates to a valve assembly and in particular to a valve which is in operation responsive to the pressure in the valve inlet.

In hydrants or the like having a series of valves between the inlet and outlet, there is a problem of water contaminating in the area between the valves. This contaminated water may either through absorption enter the inlet water line or upon the hydrants next use be discharged thereby providing contaminated water to the user.

A further difliculty with conventional valves is that they do not utilize the pressure in the inlet line for actuation of the valve.

A third problem with conventional valves is that they are subject to freezing and therefore become inoperative.

It is therefore one of the principal objects of this invention to provide a valve assembly having a pair of valvesI which may be simultaneously closed or selectively independently closed such that when the innermost valve is closed the outer valve is open placing the atmosphere in communication with the inner valve and permitting the passageway between the innermost valve and the outlet to be drained and on the other hand when the main valve is opened the outer valve is closed thereby providing a line of flow through the inner valve and out through the outlet.

Another object of this invention is to provide a valve assembly which utilizes the pressures in the inlet line to to actuate the outlet valve.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a valve assembly which is nonfreezable.

A related object of this invention is to provide a nonfreezable Valve assembly employing a bladder disposed in the inlet line and filled with non-freezable liquid which upon the bladder being deflated can be transferred to a reservoir cylinder and upon opening the main valve the reservoir cylinder is enlarged to receive additional nonfreezable fluid to form a passageway around the bl-adder through which liquid in the inlet line may flow to the outlet of the valve assembly.

A further object of this invention is to provide a valve assembly which is simple in design, economical to manufacture and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrange- 3,480,027 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 ments, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the `accompanying dra-wings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the valve assembly of this invention illustrating the first and second valve units in their closed positions;

FIG. 2 is a reduced in scale fragmentary cross-sectional viek similar to FIG. 1 but showing the second valve unit in its open condition with the first valve unit being closed;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the second valve unit closed and the first valve unit open whereby material may flow through the valve -assembly from the inlet to the outlet; and

FIG. 4 is an end view of the valve assembly taken from the right-hand side of the valve assembly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The valve assembly of this invention is referred to generally in the dra-wings by the reference numeral 10 and includes an outer first housing 12 having an inlet conduit 14 and an outlet conduit 16. The inside of the housing 12 may be drained through a second outlet comprising a plurality of outlet openings 18.

A lirst valve unit 20 is provided and includes a valve seat 22 and a valve element 24. The valve element 24 is coupled by a keeper 26 to one end of a valve stem 28 disposed in the housing 12. An elongated elastic bladder 30 is secured by a keeper 32 to the valve stem 28 adjacent the valve element 24. The bladder 30 extends into the inlet conduit 14 and as illustrated in FIG. l, is partially deflated by frozen material 34. The bladder is filled with nonfreezable fluid such as mineral oil 36 which is in communication through a passageway 38 in the valve stem 28 with a reservoir cylinder 40 formed from a diaphragm 42. The diaphragm 42 is secured to the valve stem 28 and is adapted to bear against the inner end of a cylinder housing 44. A piston 46 is carried on the valve stern in engagement with the outer wall 48 of the diaphragm 42 for compressin-g and expanding the cylinder 40.

A second valve unit 50 is provided which includes a valve seat 52 and a valve element 54 carried on the inner end of the cylinder housing 44. The valve element 54 is secured by a keeper 56. The bladder 30, the valve units 20 and 50 and the valve stem 28 are all coaxially aligned.

The cylinder housing 44 includes an outer wall 58 having a center threaded opening 60 for receiving a threaded handle stem 62 adapted to frictionally engage the outer end of the valve stem 28. A coil spring 64 is disposed between the piston 46 and the inner side of the wall 58 to yieldably compress the liuid in the cylinder 40. A second coil spring 66 is disposed between the outer wall of the housing 12 and the outer side of the wall 58 opposite the spring 64 and normally yieldably urges the cylinder housing 44 inwardly such that the valve unit 50 is closed as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The cylinder housing 44 is provided on its outer peripheral sidewall with a pair of ribs 68 which receive therebetween a rib 70 formed on the inside surface of the housing 12 and thereby prevent relative rotation of the valve assembly housing 12 and the cylinder housing 44 and also serve to maintain the two housings and their respective component parts in axial alignment.

The valve assembly is orientated normally as illustrated in FIG. 3 with the outlet 16 below the inlet conduit 14 and thus when the valve unit 20 is open, the fluid flows downwardly into a cavity 70 and upon sufiicient pressure in this cavity a check valve 72 is opened for passage of the fluid out through the outlet 16. The check valve 72 is normally closed by a spring 74 which bears against a retainer wall 76 in the outlet opening.

Thus it is seen in operation that under normal temperature conditions the piston 46 will seek its own level against the action of spring 64. In FIG. 1, both valve units 20 and 50 are shown closed, but upon turning the handle stern 62 further inwardly the cylinder housing 44 will have to move outwardly thereby opening the valve unit 50 as shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the atmosphere may communicate through the inlet openings 18 with the "cavity 70 and the area around the valve unit 20 which is closed. Accordingly, contamination of the inside of the housing 12 is prevented and also contamination within the inlet line 14 is prevented. Liquid which would normally collect in the cavity 70 is permitted to drain through the open valve 50 out through the outlet openings 18 when the valve assembly is horizontally oriented.

When it is desired to open the main valve unit 20 the actuating handle stem 462 is moved outwardly permitting the Water pressure in the inlet conduit 14 to partially deflate the bladder 30 forcing the liquid therein into the cylinder reservoir 40 and the piston 46 outwardly thereby moving the valve unit 20 to an open position as illustrated in FIG. 3. The accumulated pressure of the liquid in the conduit .14 and the liquid in the bladder 30 and the reservoir cylinder 40 must exceed the pressure of the spring 64. Once the valve unit 20 is opened as shown in FIG. 3 the water pressure in the cavity 70 will force the check valve 72 to its open position whereby water or the like may be drawn from the outlet 16.

It is thus seen that the valve assembly utilizes the pressure in the inlet line 14 to open the valve unit 20.

It is also appreciated that in freezing conditions when ice 34 is formed in the conduit 14 the piston 46 maintains the non-freezable fluid 36 in the bladder 30 under pressure, but when the main valve unit is opened by moving the actuating stem 62 outwardly, the cylinder 40 is enlarged permitting more liquid to enter and thus permitting the bladder 30 to collapse. Partial collapsing of the bladder 30 forms an annular passageway around the bladder through the ice 34. As the Water flows passed the ice 34 it will through friction tend to melt it and eventually all ice will be removed even at sub-freezing temperatures.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve assembly, comprising,

an assembly housing having an inlet and an outlet and a passageway connecting said inlet and outlet,

a valve unit disposed in said passageway and including a Valve seat and a removable valve element, and actuating means for moving said valve element -between open and closed positions,

said actuating means include-s a collapsible bladder in said inlet, said bladder being lled with a non compressible fluid and in fluid communication with an expansible chamber defined by a cylinder having a piston therein, said piston being connected by means to said valve element for movement therewith whereby pressure on the exterior of said -bladder tends to move said valve element to said open position,

said means connecting said valve element to said piston includes a valve stem and said cylinder includes one wall delined by a flexible diaphragm, said piston being connected to said diaphragm,

a second outlet adapted to communicate with said inlet through said valve unit, a second valve unit having a valve seat and valve element adapted to open and close said second outlet, a movable cylinder housing connected to said second valve element for movement therewith in said second valve unit, said cylinder and piston movably disposed in said cylinder housing, yieldable means for moving said cylinder housing and said second valve element to a closed position engaging `said second valve seat, adjustable means movably interconnecting said cylinder housing to said valve stern for moving said valve stem and said cylinder housing in opposite directions whereby lsaid first and second valve units may be simultaneously closed at times and said rst with a passageway in fluid communication with said cylinder.

5. The structure of claim 1 and said rst and second valve units, said valve stem and said movable cylinder housing are axially aligned.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said adjustable means includes threads, and means is provided for limit- Iing rotation between said rst and second housings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 911,365 2/1909 Beaton -137--627.5

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner "RICHARD GERARD, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 137-306, 627.5 

